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Rose care

In every shade from white to deep red, roses are available in an incredible variety of colours and shapes. Each of the perfectly formed flowers is a natural work of art. Roses are attention grabbers – and are easier to maintain than many people think, particularly now that there are resistant strains of rose which are less susceptible to typical rose diseases.

Down into the soil

When it comes to planting them, remember that with proper care, your roses will flourish for years without needing to be moved so it makes sense to give them a good start by following these tips:

Ensure that the graft union, a thickening on the root, is 5 cm below the surface.

Fill the hole with the mixture of soil and rose food, press down lightly and water thoroughly.

Follow this simple tip when buying roses:

For roses in a pot, loosen the root ball carefully out of the container and look at the roots. They should look strong and healthy and have a pleasant fresh smell.

Easy rose maintenance

Rose Vitaliser promotes optimal nutrition of roses. And healthy plants are less susceptible to fungal diseases.

Roses do not require too much care – lawns are much more complicated! I love roses:

Feed your roses in March-April and again in June with Organic Rose & Shrub Food which contains all the important organic nutrients they need.

Prune them back in April, cutting back to healthy wood. Weak shoots should be cut back to the point of attachment to the main stem.

From mid-November onwards, give your roses winter protection by ’ridging’. Dig in approximatley 5 litres of peat-free Rose soil around the base of the shoots. In exposed areas you can cover the earth so that it does not blow away, this may be done with some tree branches such as pine. From the end of March, you can remove the winter protection and prepare for the Spring.

Pest control

It is impossible to eliminate pests and diseases entirely but if you have a healthy natural garden which attracts useful insects such as ladybirds, aphids are unlikely to get out of control. You can help by using BugFree Bug and Larvae Killer for Roses*. Its unique formulation is effective against a variety of pests and their eggs and larvae.

Roses …

have been grown for over 2000 years

are considered a symbol of secrecy - which is why they are found in carvings on church confessionals